Great White Shark Attacks Mediterranean
Not many know that there are great white sharks in the Mediterranean, let alone how many great white shark attacks there have been on people in the Mediterranean. Whilst it is very uncommon for shark attacks to occur in the Mediterranean, they do occasionally happen.
There have been 20 known great white shark attacks in the Mediterranean Sea region, 11 of which were in Italy, four in Greece, two in Malta, two in France and one in Spain. Of these 20 great white shark attacks in the Mediterranean, 12 have been fatal and all shark attacks were unprovoked attacks.
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The following table includes a list of all recorded great white shark attacks in the Mediterranean Sea region. These shark attacks also include great white shark attacks in smaller seas off the Mediterranean Sea too, like the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea and the Adriatic Sea around Italy, where most great white sharks attacks have occurred.
There have been other shark attacks in the Mediterranean Sea by unknown shark species, but as these are unknown, they have been excluded from the table.
The exception is the attack by a 6.4 metre (21 foot) fatal shark attack in Attica, Greece. I have included this shark attack, as due to the size of the recorded shark attack, it is likely to have been a great white shark.
Great White Shark Attack Data Mediterranean - List of shark attacks in Mediterranean
| Place in Mediterranean | Country | Date | Fatal/Non-Fatal | Activity | Species and size | Provoked/Unprovoked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shark attack at Antibes in Côte d'Azur, France | France | 01/01/1700 | Not fatal | Bathing | Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Ponte della Maddelena, in Sardinia, Italy | Italy | 01/06/1721 | Fatal | Swimming | White shark, 1,600lb female | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Trieste in Adriatic Sea, Italy | Italy | 01/09/1868 | Fatal | Unknown | White shark , unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Marsaskala in Harare Province, Malta | Malta | 07/03/1907 | Fatal | Fishing | 6 metre great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Isla Cabrera in Balearics, Spain | Spain | 01/01/1912 | Fatal | Fell into the water |
Great white shark, unknow size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Varazze in Golfo di Genova in the Ligurian Sea, Italy | Italy | 23/07/1926 | Fatal | Swimming | 6-7 metre (20-23 foot) great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Keratsini in Attica, Greece | Greece | 22/09/1948 | Fatal | Swimming | 6.4 metre (21 foot) shark, species not identified, but size would indicate a great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Off Royal Residence in Corfu Island, Greece | Greece | 17/08/1951 | Fatal | Swimming | Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Kérkira in Corfu Island, Greece | Greece | 01/01/1956 | Fatal | Swimming off yacht | Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Marsascala in St. Thomas Bay, Malta | Malta | 20/07/1956 | Fatal | Swimming | Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at 1.5 miles south of San Felice Circeo in Tyrrenian Sea, Italy | Italy | 01/9/1956 | Not fatal | Scuba diving | 13'10", 1320lb female great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Riccione in Adriatic Sea, Italy | Italy | 01/07/1961 | Not fatal | Spearfishing | 4.5 metre great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Circeo, Secca del Faro in Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy | Italy | 01/08/1962 | Not fatal | Diving | White shark, unknow size. | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Circeo, Secca del Quadro in Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy | Italy | 02/09/1962 | Fatal | Spearfishing with Scuba gear |
Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at near Trikerion Island in Thessaly, Greece | Greece | 01/06/1963 | Fatal | Swimming | 3 metre great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Location unknown in Antibes, France | France | 01/01/1972 | Not fatal | Swimming | Great white shark, unknown size | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Capo d'Anzio in Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy | Italy | 16/09/1978 | Not fatal | Diving | 5 metre (15.5' foot) great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Punta Secca in Sicily, Italy | Italy | 01/07/1985 | Not fatal | Snorkelling | 3-3.6 metre (10' to 11.9 foot) great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Golfo di Baratti, near Piombino (Tuscany) in Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy | Italy | 02/02/1989 | Fatal | Scuba diving, but swimming on surface |
6 metre (20 foot) great white shark | Unprovoked |
| Shark attack at Marinella, between Punta Blanca & Marine del Carrara in Tuscany, Italy | Italy | 06/06/1989 | Not fatal | Windsurfing (urinating on his board) | 3 metre (10 foot) great white shark | Unprovoked |
Although the seas are not always listed as the Mediterranean Sea as such, they are seas within the Mediterranean area, for example, Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea and the Adriatic Sea.
When was the last great white shark attack in the Mediterranean?
The last known great white shark attack in the Mediterranean was in June 1989 in Italy. This was a non-fatal attack by a 3 metre (10 foot) great white shark between Punta Blanca & Marine del Carrara in Tuscany, Italy.
It is likely there are no further recorded great white shark attacks in the Mediterranean since 1989 due to the reducing numbers of white sharks. Great white sharks in the Mediterranean have been in decline for a number of years. The exact numbers are unknown, but it is thought their numbers are very low, and white sharks in the Med may even become extinct.
You may be interested to read other places where great white sharks can be found, some places were a big surprise to me: Where Do You Find Great White Sharks (A Few Big Surprises!).
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